The Kharlamov Cup final. SKA-1946 - Chaika - 4:1

On the 24th of March, SKA's youth team SKA-1946 hosted on HC Chaika of Nizhny Novgorod in the MHL Kharlamov Cup final. It is a match that our team had to win, with the series score currently 3:0 in Chaika's favour. Head coach Viktor Kovalenok opted to made a goaltending change, with Nikita Bogdanov replacing Igor Shestyorkin.

SKA-1946 began the day on the front foot, and created a few promising opportunities in front of Chaika's net. The best fell to Alexander Barabanov, who on a tight angle to the left couldn't get the better of the opposing netminder. Chaika then promptly punished that miss to the full, with Roman Gorbunov firing in a juicy rebound with force. Our team had to go for it now, and before the period was out Alexander Dergachyov stuffed in from close range. The initiative was all with SKA-1946, and main team regular Alexander Barabanov made it 2:1 gobbling up a loose puck early in the second. The advantage was doubled not long later, as Ivan Volodin slid home off a gorgeous Arkhip Nekolenko feed steaming down to the slot. Moving on into the third Chaika laid siege to our net, and goalkeeper Nikita Bogdanov stood tall with some excellent stops. The win was then completed with only eighteen seconds remaining, as Denis Alexandrov hit the empty net from distance.

With that win the series score now stands at 1:3, and the fifth match of the series will take place inside the Saint Petersburg Yubileyney Arena tomorrow at 13.00 local time. You can now purchase tickets on kassir.ru, and also at the 13th sector of the Yubileyney Arena. SKA Hockey Club invites all fans to come to the arena to support the guys!